... to Vitamin Q, a blog run by South London-based poet and puzzle writer Roddy Lumsden. Each week I post a few lists and other items related to the foibles of language and other trivia. Comments, suggestions or corrections are always welcome via the email above. The 350 page book version, containing lots of original material, is available via the link at the top left, or at Amazon, here (UK, Europe) or here (US - now available at last!!).

1 Affenpinscher – this comical breed has a name which translates as monkey biter! It is a pinscher (German terrier) which has an ape-like appearance.2 Dandie Dinmont – this small terrier is named after a character in Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering who breeds similar dogs. 3 Schipperke- bred to work on barges, its name means little boatman in Dutch.4 Shar Pei – means sand-skin in Chinese, since this dog has a rough, sandpapery skin.5 Malamute – named after the Inuit people (the Mahlemut) who bred them.6 Poodle – from the German verb pudeln (to paddle in water); the breed was originally used for retrieving waterfowl7 Springer Spaniel – springing means flushing out game birds; spaniel refers to the dog's supposed Spanish origin.8 Papillon – named after its dramatic ears which vaguely resemble butterfly wings.9 Yarmouth Toller – this retriever was bred to toll (luring wildfowl close to the hunters) and is named after Yarmouth County in Nova Scotia.10 Basset – this short-legged dog gets its name from French bas, meaning low.11 Jack Russell – named after a 19th century English clergyman who developed the breed for fox hunting.12 Pug – probably from its ape-like face; pug, a word for a goblin, was a common dialect name for a monkey.13 Boston Bull – developed in New England from various breeds, including the bull terrier.14 St Bernard – bred by Bernardine monks in Switzerland to haul carts.15 Pharaoh Hound – although this breed is found on Mediterranean islands, its ancestors are thought to be the wild wolf-like dogs which can be seen in Egyptian hieroglyphics.16 Corgi – Welsh for watchdog.17 Schnauzer – this hairy-snouted German breed's name translates loosely as Nosey.18 Bichon Frise – French for fluffy-haired lapdog.19 Pointer – this breed has the strange habit of stopping and pointing at game with a foreleg, rather than chasing after it.20 Whippet – this dog's name is an apt archaic word meaning to move quickly.

Aberdeen (The Dons) – their ground is close to the river DonAlloa (The Wasps) – due to the gold and black stripArsenal (The Gunners) – the cannon on their badge reflects the fact that the team once played near Woolwich arsenalAyr United (Honest Men) – from a line about the townsmen in Robert Burns' poem 'Tam O'Shanter'Barnsley (The Tykes) – from a word meaning rascal, kid, or YorkshiremanBerwick Rangers (The Borderers) – although they play in the Scottish league, this side are based just over the border in EnglandBlackpool (The Seasiders) – the town is England's most famous traditional beach holiday resortBolton Wanderers (The Trotters) – from a name for Bolton natives relating to their apparent habit of 'trotting' (using tricks or scams)Bournemouth (The Cherries) – from a red strip and the proximity of the ground to a cherry orchardBradford City (The Bantams) – after the chicken which has vaguely similar colours to the club stripBrentford (The Bees) – due to yellow and black strip and the letter BBristol Rovers (The Pirates / The Gas) – from a pirate (rover) on the club badge; from their ground next to a gasworksBury (The Shakers) – religious group the Shakers, a Quaker offshoot, were founded in the Bury areaCeltic (The Bhoys) – from an early nickname 'the bold boys' rendered in a supposed Irish accentChesterfield (The Spireites) – from the famous bent church spire in the townClyde (Bully Wee) – apparently from their being a fine ('bully'), small ('wee') club from a large city (Glasgow)Crewe Alexandra (Railwaymen) – the town has a famous railway junctionCrystal Palace (Eagles) – a hopeful nickname applied after their former nickname 'The Glaziers' (relating to the Crystal Palace building) became redundantDarlington (Quakers) – due to the great influence of Quakers on the town economyDerby County (The Rams) – after the mascot of an army regiment in which many Derby men servedDumbarton (The Sons) – a contraction of 'sons of the rock' – the town is built around a castle built on an extinct volcanoDunfermline Athletic (Pars) – unexplained (despite much research) nickname; the most common suggestion (that they were once so awful they were dubbed 'paralytic') seems unlikelyEverton (Toffees) – due to Everton mint toffees made in the areaExeter City (The Grecians) – it is said that an 18th century re-enactment of the battle of Troy in the town meant people in some areas were known as Greeks / GreciansFulham (The Cottagers) – after their former ground, Craven CottageHeart of Midlothian (Jam Tarts) – rhyming slang for 'Hearts'; the team is named after a stone cobble formation in the centre of Edinburgh marking the county centreLuton Town (Hatters) – from the town's involvement in the hat industryMansfield Town (The Stags) – from a stag on a former coat of arms of the town which is close to the famous Sherwood ForestNorthampton Town (Cobblers) – the town was famous for its shoemakersNorwich City (The Canaries) – Norwich are one of the few top teams to play in yellowPartick Thistle (Jags) – because thistles are jaggy plantsPeterborough United (Posh) – supposedly from a 1920s advert asking for 'posh players for a posh team', a forerunner of the current clubPlymouth Argyle (The Pilgrims) – the Mayflower pilgrims set off from PlymouthPortsmouth (Pompey) – a nickname for the town as well as the team, this is the most debated of all: so many suggestions have been made that the truth will probably never be foundSheffield United (The Blades) – due to the city's famous steel industry (esp. cutlery)Walsall (Saddlers) – the town had a big leather industryWest Bromwich Albion (Baggies) – from bags used to collect money at early games or patched trousers worn by their ironworker supporters

Amazon.com has a new feature which it calls 'statistically improbable phrases'. This uses computer technology to scour famous books and find unusual phrases which occur within and rarely in other books. The resulting phrases often give a flavour of the book as a whole:

A VitQ special! My friend Gareth and I took non-beer drinker Andy on a 'real ale tasting', taking notes as we went. It should be noted that beers are chageable, and it can be the bar's fault not the brewer - so these were our judgements on what we gulped on the night. Sorry this is a bit long, but we enjoyed it, believe me.